Saturday, March 7, 2009

One of the most common things that are needed for aromatherapy is a diffuser. This is an accessory that is used to diffuse essential oils that are primarily consumed in an aromatherapy session. Today, there are so many kinds of aromatherapy diffusers available on the market. They come in various shapes, sizes, colors, styles, and types of materials.

However, not all diffusers are surefire hits in terms of safety. The following are just some of the most commonly used aromatherapy diffuses out there with their advantages and disadvantages.

1.Candle Diffusers.

These are considered as one of the cheapest and most convenient to use aromatherapy diffusers out there. It comes with a candle and a small plate where the essential oil should be placed. It comes in various sizes and colors.

- Advantages:

They are cheap. They come in many styles to choose from. They are available almost everywhere in health stores and aromatherapy shops. They do not consume electricity. You don't need to spend money to buy batteries.

- Disadvantages:

Utmost care is needed when using it because it can easily cause a fire. You need lots of replacement candles on hand to ensure sustainability. Candle diffusers can destroy the therapeutic properties of the essential oil especially when not used properly.

2. Fan Diffusers.

This is basically a small fan used to blow the essential oil into the air with the help of a pad or tray that is disposable. They come in different shapes, sizes, designs, and styles.

- Advantages:

You can choose from a wide range of styles and different brands. It is effective in diffusing the aroma of essential oils into large areas.

- Disadvantages:

They require large amounts of electricity. You need to replace pads very often. They are too noisy especially if it has accumulated lots of dust.

3. Electric Heat Diffusers.

This is quite similar to fan diffusers only it comes in a more convenient package.

- Advantages:

This is effective in diffusing fragrance in larger rooms. It can efficiently diffuse the aroma even of those hard to diffuse essential oils such as patchouli or sandalwood.

- Disadvantages:

You may not achieve the therapeutic benefits of the essential oil because heat can destroy some of its properties.

4. Clay Pot Diffusers.

They are made of terracotta and come in various. It comes with a cork and an opening for the essential oils.

- Advantages:

These are cheap. They are environmentally friendly. They are easy to use. You don't need electricity or batteries to operate them.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Many farmers who traditionally grew pulses and millet and paddy have been lured by seed companies to buy hybrid cotton seeds and other GM crops, which were supposed to make their lives easier and wealthier. Instead they faced bankruptcy and ruin.

Their native seeds have been displaced with new hybrids which cannot be saved and need to be purchased every year at a high cost. Hybrids are also very vulnerable to pest attacks. All pesticides have to be bought from the company that sold them the seeds; there have been reports of blatant profiteering from these companies.

It is experiences such as these which tell me that we are so wrong to be smug about the new global economy. It is time to stop and think about the impact of globalization on the lives of ordinary people. This is vital if we want to achieve sustainability.

We are repeatedly told that without genetic engineering and globalization of agriculture the world will starve, it is constantly promoted as the only alternative available for feeding the hungry.

Everywhere, food production is becoming a negative economy, with farmers spending more buying costly inputs for industrial production than the price they receive for their produce. The consequence is rising debts and epidemics of suicides in both rich and poor countries. Cows in the European Union receive on average $2 per day in subsidies. Over 1 billion people live in the world on less than $1 dollar a day.

Farmers in the Third World are encouraged by the IMF and the World Bank to produce cash crops for export. There are usually commodities that can be easily bought and sold on the World Markets. With fluctuating world prices, Fair trade is what can drag farmers and communities out of poverty. In some African countries it is cheaper to buy American sugar and coffee than it is to buy locally produced goods. This is because of over production and subsidies in the West which means that they then dump these goods on Africa destroying local markets.

When patents are granted to companies for seeds and plants, as in the case of basmati, saving and sharing seed is defined as theft of intellectual property. Corporations which have broad patents on crops such as cotton, soy bean and mustard are suing farmers for seed-saving and hiring detective agencies to find out if farmers have saved seed or shared it with neighbors.

As Gandhi reminded us, "The Earth has enough for everyone's needs, but not for some people's greed."

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Ayurvedic herbs have long been used for detoxification and cleansing. They were used in ancient India but increasingly, they are becoming more popular as more people discover about their healing properties. For detoxification, there are certain Ayurvedic herbs that aid in liver cleansing. These herbs can be easily added to your detox diet.

The liver is an important organ where your body wastes are eliminated. These body wastes then turn into bile which comprises of metabolic waste and other toxins that are filtered out from the liver. The bile then goes to the gallbladder and to the intestines where fats are broken down. It also becomes a lubricating agent that prepares the body for bowel movement.

Ayurvedic herbs such as Triphala and Curcumin can help to jumpstart the production of bile. Curcumin is an active compound for bile production. Being an antioxidant, it doubles up the normal production of the bile, thus results to a more efficient bowel movement and excretion of body waste. You should expect that as dietary toxins are eliminated in a more frequent manner, you would become healthier.

Triphala is also used as treatment for gastrointestinal conditions and improves digestion. It increases bile excretion and keeps cholesterol at a normal level. It is also a potent antioxidant that fights free radical.

For thorough cleansing, an individualized detoxification regime involving Ayurvedic herbs can take as long as 45 days. You should however not fast or skip on your liquid diets as this may create an imbalance. Instead, you would need to avoid foods that may clog up your waste channels. Such foods are usually very hard to digest and add to your constipation problems. These include frozen, packed, canned and processed foods.

Ayurvedic herbs work best when added to fresh foods that promotes digestion. Examples of such foods are organic vegetables and fruits, soups and flat breads. To prepare for a detox diet that uses Ayurvedic herbs, you should first go on normal meals that include leafy green vegetables like Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Light grains are also recommended like barley, quinoa and small servings of rice. You also need to drink plenty of warm water to flush out toxins through the process of urination.

If you intend to adopt a detox diet, consider including Ayurvedic herbs. They can help in the removal of toxic waste from your body and can greatly improve your health and enhance your energy levels.

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Midwesterner that is well traveled in both hemispheres. I am concerned about the future we are handing to our children and grandchildren. I feel it is imperative that we stop being concerned with commercialism and get back to what is important . . . The Good Earth!